1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to online game systems for connecting, for example, a plurality of horse racing game machines through a communication line, and for enabling players to play and enjoy a single horse racing game.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-040228, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Concerning arcade game systems installed at game centers and the like, there are horse racing game machines simulating actual horse racing, cycle racing game machines simulating cycle racing, and track-and-field game machines simulating various track-and-field events and the like. In these types of arcade game machines, a ring-shaped racing field is formed on a board of a game machine, and a plurality of running models are caused to run on the field. The running models compete with one another in order of arrival, and a player wins if the player correctly predicts a set of finishing places. This type of arcade game machine is described in detail in, for example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 10-57619 (competition game machine) and Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 10-94675 (competition game machine).
Unlike consumer games targeted for general game computers, arcade game machines, which are played by a plurality of players who assemble and play a single game, are generally provided with game supplies and facilities which appeal to player's preferences, making every effort to attract the player's attention. However, these efforts are only concerned with a particular game machine and do not influence other game machines. In the case of a racing game in which odds are generated, the odds are computed based on betting contents in a game machine which performs that particular racing game. Integrated odds in which betting contents in other game machines are reflected are not computed.
Concerning large arcade game machines, installation of hardware is important. Software defining game contents is generally installed a few months after the hardware installation has been completed. It is therefore difficult to implement a game whose contents require real time features using an arcade game machine.